Julia Says
by Elburn
Summary: I don't feel the love I just hear the words Julia says. Inspired by Wet Wet Wet. Remus arrives late at the Tonks' for babysitting Dora, because of the words Julia says.... MWPP


**Julia Says  
-o-**

**Disclaimer: **Okay, I don't own Harry Potter. That glory and credit belongs solely to Miss Rowling (lovehearts!). I'm a broke student, and don't own anything of value, so suing me would be worthless. Also, "Julia Says" is a song by Wet Wet Wet. It belongs to them and the Precious Organisation. I'm just borrowing it. 3 And I heartily encourage everybody to support our Glaswegian boys by buying their albums and singles. 3

**A/N: **Yay, Marauder's Era. 3 As stated above, "Julia Says" is a song by Wet Wet Wet. Eagle-eyed fans will probably spot where I borrowed lyrics for dialogue (if you're old enough to remember XD). Hmm, okay, enough. On to the story.

**----o----**

"I wonder where Moony's got to." James grimaced, looking up from polishing little Dora's toy broomstick. The marauders were supposed to look after young Nymphadora Tonks that night, while Andromeda and Ted went to visit Sirius in hospital, at St. Mungo's. Dora's favourite cousin had unwittingly fallen victim to one of his own pranks, and was in a more or less stable condition, albeit unable to walk without some pain. Now, without Sirius and Remus, who was inexplicably absent, James and Peter were the only ones around to baby-sit Dora.

"He'll be here." Peter replied with a shrug, taking a sip from his third cup of tea _that_ evening. "I hope." He added after a moment. Dora had refused to go to sleep until Remus arrived, much to the chagrin of James and Peter. It had been Peter who eventually got Dora to go to bed, telling her that Mr. Lupin would have wanted her to behave in his absence.

"It's been nearly two hours, Wormtail." James was furrowing his brows and glancing at the clock now. Seven forty-five p.m.

"I'm sure Moony's fine and that --"

The doorbell cut off Peter's response. James leapt to his feet, still holding the toy broomstick. Remus was soaked from head to toe, and looked tiredly up at Peter and James as they opened the door.

"Where've you been, mate?" James was about to launch into a tirade of scoldings when he noticed the pained expression on Remus' face. "What happened?" James asked, lowering his voice and ushering Remus into the hallway.

"I-It's nothing." Remus murmured. "Is Nymphadora still awake?"  
"Er--" James and Peter exchanged glances.  
"What?" Remus raised an eyebrow at his friends.  
"We got her to go to bed, Remus," Peter started. "But eh--"  
"She refused to sleep until you arrived." James finished.

Remus pulled off his drenched coat and placed his shoes on the floor, under the coat rack. "_Scourgify_." He muttered, cleaning the mud from his shoes, the floor, and the hem of his robes, and succeeding in also drying the water that was dripping from his robes.

"I'll go have a word." Remus said quietly, then quickly headed up the stairs to Dora's room.

The door was shut. Remus knocked and waited.

"C'mon in!" Dora called back. Remus opened the door to find her sitting in bed with a book open, reading to her dollies.

"Mr. Lupin!" Dora seemed delighted to see him. Remus tried to smile for her.  
"Hallo, Nymphadora," He replied as cheerfully as he could manage. However, Dora had seen the tired, pained expression on Remus' face, and was now frowning up at him.

"You look sad, Mr. Lupin," Dora pointed out, pouting a little, and copying his face. "Why?" She asked.

Remus chuckled. It was sometimes unsettling to see his own face staring right back at him when Dora decided to copy him, but tonight, it just amused him. "Don't worry about me."

Dora returned her face to normal, and looked back up at him. Remus was wearing a true smile, now. He just couldn't feel sad around Dora.

"So," Remus said, sitting on Dora's study chair. "I hear you're having trouble sleeping."  
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Pettigrew wanted me to go to bed, but I wanted to stay up. To see you." Dora explained. "Mr. Pettigrew told me that you wanted me to be good, so, I came up here, but I didn't sleep."

Dora certainly knew how to make someone feel special. Remus caught himself staring into space, prompted by Dora's voice.

"Mr. Lupin?" She was tilting her head at him.

"You should sleep, Dora." Remus said at last, and got up, moving the book from her bed, onto the bedside table. Dora lay down as Remus fixed the covers, tucking them around her. She smiled, closing her eyes.

"Nymphadora," Remus whispered while turning off the gas lamp, "If I can ask, why didn't you want to go to sleep? Why did you want to see me?"  
"I like your voice." Dora stifled a yawn, mumbling her answer. "It's…. Nice…." She trailed off. Remus gently petted her hair, and smiled, walking from the room. "Goodnight, Nymphadora." He murmured, and closed the door quietly behind him.

With Dora now asleep, Remus dropped his cheerful façade and went silently down the stairs.

"She asleep?" James asked, looking up from trimming the twigs on the end of Dora's toy broom.  
"Yeah." Remus nodded. He gracefully dropped himself onto the couch and heaved a sigh.  
"What's up?" James frowned at Remus. "It's not everyday that you're late."

Remus grimaced, and bit his lip, leaning forward in his seat, his hands clasped over his knees. He looked up at James and Peter. "You guys remember Julia, don't you?"

"Oh, no…." James groaned. "She didn't…"  
"She didn't. But _I_ did." Remus nodded. "It wasn't working. We… broke up."

"I'm sorry, mate." James seemed genuinely distressed for Remus, and had stopped clipping the twigs on the toy broom in case he accidentally damaged something.

"What's even worse," Remus continued, "Is that she'll probably be in another guy's arms by this time tomorrow." He shook his head. "She doesn't know what it's all about." Catching his friends' glances, Remus quickly added, "Love, I mean." Now, he was gazing at the floor, unable to handle the pitying look in James' eyes. "She doesn't seem to care at all."

Remus hadn't even noticed that Peter had briefly disappeared to the kitchen. He held out a cup of tea to Remus and a couple of biscuits. Remus reluctantly took them, not sure if he wanted to take from the Tonks' kitchen, even if they were allowed.

"Thank you," Remus nodded, his frown deepening. "I guess it's just as well. Had she known… what I am…" He was trying to phrase his words carefully, trying to skirt around the issue of being a werewolf -- which never made relationships any easier.

"Had she known, it probably would have been the same." Peter piped up. "You said it yourself before -- _'I don't feel the love. I just hear the words Julia says_.'"

"I suppose." Remus nodded, sipping his tea. Being truthful, though, he had just hoped Julia was as nervous in relationships as he was. In his mental image of her, Julia was awkward but usually cheerful. She was a terrible liar, though, which made her sound stiff and insincere whenever she said, "I love you". Often, Remus had begged her, "Julia, please -- open your eyes and see: Love hurts." She had never payed much attention, becoming increasingly idealistic, showing her true naivety more often than not. It had been a tough time for Remus, torn between loving her and being in pain because of it.

Now, Remus winced, remembering how he had called after her in the rain after they spoke:

_"Julia! Julie! Julie!"  
__"I want to be on my own. I…need to think things through." _

Julia had ignored his pleas. Although she had wanted to 'think things through', Remus suspected that she actually wanted to just dream of things she wanted to be. It seemed that Julia didn't belong.

"Julia, please!" Remus had shouted to her turned back, before giving up. He shivered, still cold from the rain, in spite of the glowing fire burning in the hearth across from where he now sat.

"Better luck next time, mate." James smiled and nodded to Remus.  
"Yeah." Remus said quietly, and nodded back. He was in pain, now. But one day, he knew, he would get over the words Julia says.

**The End.**


End file.
